Did Washington encourage bereaved family to sue Israel?

Sunday, March 14, 2010 |
Israel Today Staff

According to the sister of a left-wing American peace activist killed while protesting the demolition of a terrorist's house in Gaza in 2003, the US government actually encouraged her family to sue the State of Israel.

And sue Israel, they are. The family of International Solidarity Movement activist Rachel Corrie is currently in Israel to take part in the opening of a civil suit against the state. The family charges that Rachel was deliberately killed by an IDF bulldozer driver tasked with bringing down the house of a known terrorist in Gaza.

Other ISM activists claim Rachel was standing atop a mound of dirt and clearly visible to the driver. But an internal IDF investigation determined that it was not clear whether or not the driver could see the girl, as his field of vision was very limited. The army also noted that the area was a combat zone at the time, and that the ISM activists knowingly and deliberately put themselves in harm's way.

The Corrie family has contented itself to slinging charges at Israel from abroad for seven years. But Rachel's sister, Sarah Corrie Simpson, told Ha'aretz that when a US government official urged the family to actually sue the State of Israel, they decided to do just that.

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